Paloma Abarca

Five years in, Portola Festival has become more than a two-day dance music festival. Of course, there’s the music: a carefully curated collision of electronic, house, techno, pop, and everything adjacent. But part of what makes the Bay Area festival feel distinctly San Franciscan is everything happening around it. Returning to Pier 80 on September 26-27, Portola Festival’s fifth edition continued to expand its identity.

After more than two decades of making music together, Catz ’n Dogz have reached a point where the most radical thing they can do is slow down. That’s the central idea behind Finally, the Polish duo’s eighth studio album and arguably their most introspective project yet.

Portola Festival is officially entering its fifth year, and the San Francisco experience from Goldenvoice and Non Plus Ultra is gaining momentum. On September 26-27, Pier 80 will once again transform into a dance music playground, bringing together electronic heavyweights, pop icons, and local underground selectors. This year’s lineup is stacked with names spanning generations and genres, from Robyn, Swedish House Mafia, and Tiësto to Four Tet, Fatboy Slim, Dog Blood, and DJ Shadow.